A strong wind blows across the battlefield. Holes and slash marks bandage the ground, evident of the fierce battle that is taking place. They stare intensely at each other. They grind their teeth in utter disgust. They have battled for an undisclosed amount of time. Their bodies bare the slashes, cuts, and bruises from their furious fighting. They refused to relent. They refused to surrender.
One gripped wickedly curved blades tight in his grip. The blades glowed with hellfire. Fiery sparks shower to the ground. He sharpened his gaze as he looked contemptuously at his opponent. He sees the fury burning in his eyes. It reflected the rage burning deep within his breast. Rage he has for the gods that have wronged him, deceived him, used him, and betrayed him. He sought their destruction. And nothing—no one—is going to stop him.
The other clenched his fists tight. He glowers at the man with bone-white skin. His red tattoo glowed bright against the canvas of his skin. The other man grinds his teeth in equal contempt. He too has been betrayed by those he once thought he could trust. His fellow deities have framed him for a crime he did not commit. In the end, he was cast out and sent to the underworld. He has returned to take his vengeance upon them and rescue his precious daughter whose power is being used for their selfish desires. He will rescue her. And he will crush anyone who stands in his way.
They burn each other with their gazes. They have interfered with each other’s path of vengeance. They have challenged each other. They will not let their opponent stand in their way. Dropping into a stance, the two warriors throw themselves at each other. Only one of them will walk away.
Mount Olympus…
After having killed the God of the Oceans Poseidon, Kratos rode atop of Gaia as she climbed to meet their destiny—to meet Zeus. The King of Olympus stood with arms crossed over his expansive chest. His muscles rippled with anger and anticipation as he watched Gaia rise into view, extend a hand from which his demigod son Kratos leaped and landed ponderously on the marble floor of the atrium of his palace atop Olympus. Zeus’ intense glare meets Kratos’. Kratos strode forward, a contemptuous scowl on his face as he stared down the god who wronged him as much, if not more than Ares had.
“You dare wrought destruction in my kingdom,” Zeus said. He stood as a mighty ruler assured of his victory even before the real battle had begun. “I should’ve made certain my brother pulled you into the Styx himself.” The storm clouds of his beard stirred in tune with his rising anger.
Kratos laughed harshly with contempt. “Hades could not contain me. The Sisters of Fate could not control me.” He steps forward, draws the Blades of Athena and brings them to bear. With Zeus finally before him, Kratos will finally murder the Skyfather and end the reign of the gods once and for all. “And you will not see the end of this day! I will have my revenge!” He roared.
Zeus’ ire had reached its boiling point. Kratos’ impudence and bloodlust have gone on long enough. “Insolent child!” the Skyfather shouted back. “I will tolerate your insolence no longer!” Zeus leaps atop the statue bearing his image. He reaches to the sky. Strom clouds gather around his palace, roiling together. Lightning danced across as the clouds—and Zeus—grew angrier. The King of Olympus catches a bolt in his hand and hefts it. Gaia reaches for him with a hand dozens of times larger than an average man. Zeus sneers. He need not use his full godly powers on this Titan. He draws his arm back and hurls the bolt. Its power explodes across the atrium, sending both his enemies tumbling. He does not give a second look as he leaves to assist the remaining gods.
Gaia tumbles down Olympus. Her earthen body slams into rocky structures along the way. Slamming on a large cliff and rolling over, she grabs hold to keep herself from falling further. Her right arm—injured and staying attached to her by vine like veins—barely clings on. Kratos’ body crashes into the trees growing out of Gaia’s body. He grabs feebly at the rocky surface of her skin.
“Gaia, I can hold on no longer!” he calls out to her. He draws the Blade of Olympus and jams it into Gaia, arresting his descent.
“Let go, Kratos or we will both fall!” the Earth Mother called back.
Kratos is shocked by her words. No, he will not let go. He has come too far to allow his chance at vengeance slip away again. He will not be denied. “Do not deny me my revenge!” he growled back.
It is at this moment that Gaia reveals the truth to him. “Listen closely, Spartan. You are a pawn in this, nothing more. This is our war. Your purpose was to serve the Titans so that we will be victorious.” Gaia begins her ascent back to Zeus. In the process, she bucks her massive body. The Blade of Olympus pulls free and it follows Kratos as he fell.
“Gaia!” his scream faded as he falls through the air. Mount Olympus rushes past him as he falls hundreds of feet to the earth far below. Hades awaits his return. However, Kratos will not be denied his revenge. His mind wonders back to the moment Zeus killed him, back to the moment he killed his wife Lysandra and daughter Calliope, to when he killed the barbarian king, to when he had the Blades of Chaos fused to his bones. Then the images replay forward. Kratos makes a pledge to himself.
“I will not die. I will kill Zeus. I will have my revenge.”
(Click HERE to check out my first fan fiction “Dante vs. Bayonetta!!” And have a look at my novel Defenders!! Volume 1 is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Xlibris!! Volume 2 coming soon!!* Also take a moment to check my new story Arcana X!!)
